DEP Disapproves Final Cleanup Report On Dozens Of Chemicals At The American Refining Group Bradford Refinery In McKean County For Not Meeting Cleanup Standards

On May 15, the Department of Environmental Protection disapproved an Act 2 Land Recycling Final Report on the remediation of soil and groundwater contamination from dozens of chemicals at the American Refining Group, Inc. Refinery in Bradford, McKean County.

DEP said the report did not demonstrate attainment of the Site-Specific Act 2 Land Recycling Standard, one of three cleanup standards in the Land Recycling Program.

DEP reported the action in a formal notice in the June 1 PA Bulletin. (PA Bulletin, page 3089)

This action follows an initial disapproval of an Act 2 Land Recycling Risk Assessment Report by DEP on December 21, 2023 for almost the same chemicals at the same facility.  Read more here.

Disapprovals of these technical documents are not all that common. The company will have an opportunity to address the deficiencies and resubmit the assessment.

Chemical Contaminants

The disapproved Final Report for the American Refining Group, Inc. Refinery covered these chemical contaminants--

-- Soil contamination included Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphthalene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4- (Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Fluorene, Phenanthrene, Anthracene, Pyrene, Chrysene, Benzo(a)anthracene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(a)- pyrene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene.

-- Groundwater contamination included Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, Xylenes (total), Cumene (Isopropylbenzene), Methyl tert-Butyl Ether, Naphtha- lene, Trimethyl benzene, 1,2,4-(Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,4-), Trimethyl benzene, 1,3,5-, Phenanthrene, Pyrene, Chrysene for EU-6.

Regional DEP Contact

For more information on this action, contact the Environmental Cleanup & Brownfields Program, DEP Northwest Regional Office, 230 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 16335- 3481 by calling the general office number-- 814-332-6945 or “Bill” at 814-332-6671 [according to the PA Bulletin notice, page 3089].

Visit DEP’s Land Recycling Program webpage to learn more about this program.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Report Emergencies, Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - May 25 to 31 - Shale Wastewater Pipeline Spill; Drill Cuttings Violations; More Abandoned Conventional Wells  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 1 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 1 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- Week 10: Illegal Dumping Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues Unabated On Paved, Dirt Roads, Before It Rains, It Doesn’t Matter In Warren County  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick: PUC Judge Orders 7 Rhodes Estate Water Companies To Secure Counsel For Hearings On Their Future [More Fallout From Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill In Venango County]  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Research Traced Radioactive Radium In Freshwater Mussels To Oil & Gas Wastewater  [PaEN] 

-- Protect PT Hosts 4 Virtual Workshops On How To Protect Yourself If You Live Near Shale Gas Facilities Starting June 11 [PaEN] 

-- Evangelical Environmental Network, Partners Host June 5 Webinar On Pipeline Methane Leaks - Causes, Impacts, Solutions  [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice June 13 In-Person Program On Air Pollution Hazards From Oil & Gas Sites, South Franklin Township Park, Washington County

-- DEP Disapproves Final Cleanup Report On Dozens Of Chemicals At The American Refining Group Bradford Refinery In McKean County For Not Meeting Cleanup Standards [PaEN] 

-- Protect PT Lunch & Learn Online Program - Frac-Enomics, Is It Worth It? Now On Demand  [PaEN]  

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Releases Recommendations To US DOE On LNG Gas Export Facility Impact Analysis  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Extends Temporary Air Quality Permits For Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; Shell Said It Will Submit Full Title V Air Permit Application By June 21 Deadline  [PaEN]   

-- 50+ Appalachian Groups Call On US DOE To Suspend ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Project  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- The Energy Age Blog: Cecil Twp., Washington County Latest Township To Realize Current Gas Well Regulations Aren’t Enough To Protect People 

-- Farm & Dairy: Cecil Twp., Washington County To Add New Restrictions On Oil & Gas Drilling - Like Living With A Helicopter 100 Feet Over Your Head 24 hours A Day

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Working To Plug More Dangerous Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners - By Rep. Mandy Steele (D-Allegheny)

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Subsidiary Of PA Oil & Gas Waste Treatment Company Faces Mounting Pressure Over Radioactive Waste 

-- Inside Climate News: PA’s Fracking Wastewater Contains A ‘Shocking’ Amount Of The Critical Clean Energy Mineral Lithium 

--  WNEP: Coterra Energy Shale Gas Company Closing Facility In Susquehanna County, Laying Off 50+ Workers

-- PA Capital-Star/Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: PA Gas Producers CNX Wants In On The Hydrogen Revolution

-- The Allegheny Front/WV Public Broadcasting: Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Completion Delayed Again Due To Incomplete Pipeline Water Testing  

-- Delaware Currents: Gibbstown, NJ LNG Gas, Wyalusing LNG Gas Projects Show A Flicker Of Life

-- Reuters: EU Approves Law To Hit Gas Imports With Methane Emissions Limits To Cut Leaks In Gas Infrastructure 

[Posted: May 31, 2024]  PA Environment Digest